B-Sens' offensive fireworks lead to 6-3 win over Crunch

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B-Sens' offensive fireworks lead to 6-3 win over Crunch

January 18, 2014Updated Jan 18, 2014 at 11:45 PM EDT

SYRACUSE (WBNG BINGHAMTON) The B-Sens traveled to Syracuse and came home with a 6-3 victory. Binghamton’s power-play went 2 for 4 on the evening while Andrew Hammond played strong between the pipes to keep the Senators in first place in the East Division.

Brett Connolly gave the hosts the early lead at 5:59 of the first period on the power play when he beat Binghamton goaltender Andrew Hammond on a tough angle for his 10th goal on the year. Jim O’Brien would equalize the scoreboard when he put home a short-handed rebound off his own shot making it 1-1. Less than three minutes later Andre Petersson chipped home the puck off a wrist shot from Chris Wideman at 14:26 of the opening period giving the Sens a 2-1 lead. Puempel put home his 14th goal of the season at 15:45 on the power play to give Binghamton a 3-1 lead. However, Connolly would put home his second goal of the night with less than three minutes remaining in the first putting the score to 3-2 after 20 minutes of play.

The second frame was a goaltender battle as Cedrick Desjardins came into play in relief of Crunch starter Gudlevskis. Hammond turned aside all 14 Syracuse chances while Desjardins stopped all but Shane Prince’s power-play strike at 15:28 of the second. Danny New ripped a rebound try to the front of the cage where Prince tipped the shot in for his eighth tally on the year. The teams would head to the final intermission with Binghamton holding a 4-2 lead.

The final period brought 10 shots a piece between the teams. Brett Connolly completed his hat-trick bid at 4:01 of the third off a feed from Vladislav Namestnikov making it 4-3. However, Corey Cowick would put home his seventh goal on the year at 9:36 of the period off a feed from Fredrik Claesson. Petersson would add an empty-netter with less than three minutes remaining to move the final to 6-3 Binghamton.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau finished with three assists while Petersson ended the game with two goals scored. Brett Connolly notched three goals on the night while teammate Namestnikov finished with two helpers. Gudlevskis earned the loss for the Crunch allowing three goals on 11 shots faced. Hammond, playing in his third consecutive start, finished with 35 saves on 38 shots faced.

Binghamton returns to home ice on Friday, January 24 versus the Albany Devils and Saturday versus the Rochester Americans. Friday’s game will start at 7:05p.m. while Saturday is slated for a 7:15p.m. start following the Hall of Fame induction of Binghamton’s Denis Hamel.

The B-Sens travel to Albany on Sunday for the back end of a home and home set to conclude their three game week. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are available by calling the Binghamton Senators Executive Office at (607) 722-7367 or stopping in between 9:00a.m. and 5:30p.m. Fans can also purchase tickets through the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets during normal business hours by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or at 1-800-745-3000.